Virtual Incision, the developer of the MIRA Surgical System, and Sovato Health, the world’s only solution for enabling remote surgery, have announced the successful completion of a preclinical demonstration involving nearly 40,000 miles of combined distance. Four surgeons performed 20 procedures on porcine models, testing the remote capabilities of the system, with each procedure spanning approximately 2,000 miles.
Surgeons Francesco Maria Bianco, M.D., from the University of Illinois Chicago, and Yanghee Woo, M.D., Yasmin Zerhouni, M.D., and Clayton Lau, M.D., from City of Hope National Medical Center, completed remote cholecystectomy, colectomy, gastric mobilization/gastrostomy/primary closure, and nephrectomy procedures using the combined technologies of Virtual Incision and Sovato. Yuman Fong, M.D., chair of City of Hope’s Department of Surgery, oversaw the design and execution of the demonstration.
The Sovato Platform provided the necessary surgical-grade connectivity between the surgeons in Santa Barbara, CA, and the porcine models in Chicago, IL, allowing for real-time communication during the procedures. The results of the demonstration confirm that surgery can be performed safely at a distance, including both routine and complex procedures, highlighting the advantages of miniaturized robotic surgery for expanding access to care.
With more than half the global population lacking access to high-quality surgical services, remote surgery could help meet this demand. Robotic-assisted surgery, including MIRA, the first miniaturized RAS device, offers a promising solution. MIRA is 1,000 times lighter than traditional robotic systems and, as the only small form factor RAS device, it could make remote surgery more practical by reducing setup time, storage, and transportation needs.
“Virtual Incision’s goal is to make robotic-assisted surgery available to every patient, anytime, anywhere,” said Piet Hinoul, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Medical Officer at Virtual Incision. “This demonstration proves that miniaturization and remote surgery can be applied across multiple specialties with reproducible results. We look forward to further exploring its potential.”
The Sovato Platform, with its low-latency network and stable connection, ensured seamless communication, contributing to the success of the procedures. “These results show that connecting people, devices, and information systems for remote surgery restores situational awareness and ensures effective communication throughout the procedure,” said Dennis Fowler, M.D., MPH, Chief Medical Officer at Sovato.
Dr. Fong from City of Hope emphasized the transformative potential of remote surgery, noting it would enable surgeons to treat patients across different locations, significantly expanding access to specialized care. “This is a major step forward for clinical robotics,” he said. “Remote surgery will bring world-class surgical expertise to patients anywhere, enhancing access to quality care.”
About the MIRA Surgical System
MIRA is the world’s first miniaturized robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) system. It is designed for procedures like colectomy, offering the benefits of RAS with a small, portable form factor. Weighing only two pounds, MIRA is easy to set up and operate in any standard operating room. Its flexibility and portability make it ideal for hospitals that don’t have the infrastructure for traditional robotic systems.
About Virtual Incision
Virtual Incision, headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska, is on a mission to simplify robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) to make it more accessible. With over 200 patents and patent applications, the company has developed the MIRA Surgical System, aiming to make every operating room RAS-ready and improve access to high-quality surgical care.
